Adjustable arch support



April 12, 1938. a US 2,113,898

ADJUSTABLE ARCH SUPPORT Filed Oct. 9, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR. 1fianm'sflA/ebue ATTORNEYS April 12, 1938. E5, N HU 2,113,898

ADJUSTABLE ARCH SUPPORT Filed 001:. 9, 19 35 ZSheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 12, 1938 ADJUSTABLE. ARCH SUPPORT Francis B.Nehus, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor of one-half to Albert H. Bode,Cincinnati, Ohio Application October 9, 1935, Serial No. 44,209

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an adjustable arch support and is concernedwith supports of this kind. adapted under one form tobe removablypositioned in a shoe, and under another form, to be permanentlypositioned therein.

An object of the invention is to provide an arch support adapted forfine degrees of adjustment so that the wearer may determine the positionbest adapted for his purposes and comfort Another object is to providean arch support adjustable in four directions, namely, upwardly anddownwardly as well as forwardly and rearwardly.

Another object is to provide an arch support,

adjustable as described, but constructed of a minimum of parts so thatthe device may be manufactured at low cost and manipulated with ease bythe wearer.

Another object is to provide an arch support comprising a resilient padremovable to adjusted positions.

Another object is to provide an arch supporting plate which contacts theinner sole with which it is adapted to be associated at only threepoints whereby a particularly effective resiliency is achieved.

Another object is to provide an arch support unit which is immediatelyaccessible interiorly of the shoe with which it is associated so thatthe support unit may be readily adjusted and readjusted to suit thewearers needs with a minimum of time and efiort.

Another object of the invention is to provide arch supporting meansadapted for long periods of usefulness.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of one form of thearch support unit of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the intermediate of the unit illustratedin Fig. 1.

' Fig.4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the intermediate archsupporting member, in the form of a resilient pad.

' Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

, .Fig. '7 is a fragmental perspective view of a shoe having a modifiedform of the arch supporting unit associated with the inner solethereof.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an inner cover or insole adapted to beused in a shoe provided with the support unit of Fig. 7.

Heretofore various types of arch support units have been provided butthese have possessed various disadvantages. Probably the chiefdisadvantage which has been common to arch units previously known, hasbeen the lack of complete adjustability. Some arch support units havebeen provided in which a support plate is provided with means, generallyat the ends of the plate, for raising and lowering the plate todifferent arch supporting heights. Frequently, the means'for adjustingin this manner, have been complicated and comparatively inaccessible sothat an expert was required for making such adjustments. In addition tothis, such arch units, while providing for the up and down adjustmentvreferred to, have had no means for shifting the arch unit as a wholeforwardly or rearwardly of the shoe to exactly the position required bythe individual wearer. It is obvious that the raisa central longitudinalslot and a main adjustment screw associated therewith, provides not onlyfor the depression and elevation of the arch supporting plate, butlikewise provides for shifting of this plate bodily to the front or rearof the shoe, as may be required. In this way the proper placing of thearch support may be obtained with absolute exactitude.

The present invention likewise embraces various other advantagesincluding efficiency of manufacture due to the simplicity and reductionof parts of the device. The degree of resiliency of the main ar'chsupporting plate of this invention has been greatly increased due to thenovel three point support whereby said plate is associated with theinner sole of a shoe.

With reference to the drawings: The unit illustrated in Fig. '1comprises an upper plate or cover In which may be formed of leather. Thecover Ill may project from the heel of the shoe up to the forwardportions thereof. Said cover may be diate plate.

provided with a central aperture I2 and front and rear similar aperturesI3.

Beneath the cover II], on the inner sole of a shoe, the bottom plate I4of the arch supporting unit of Fig, 1 is adapted to be positioned. Theposition of the whole unit is substantially the same as that of themodified form seen associated with a shoe in Fig. '7. Said plate I4 maylikewise be provided at one side thereof, and ad.-

jacent the front and rear extremities thereof,"

with one or more perforations l6 and II which are adapted to registerwith the slots or apertures I3 of the cover III. A central threadedaperture I8, on the instep side of the plate I4 is likewise provided.

The main arch supporting member consists of an intermediate plate I9(Fig. 2) consisting of a body portion 29, having front and rearresilient pronged extensions 2| and 22 extending therefrom in alignmentwith one side, that is the inner longitudinal arch side, of the plate. Alateral resilient extension 23 projects from the plate to- Ward the sideopposite the instep portion and along a line substantially intermediatethe pronged extensions 2| and 22. It will be seen by reference to Figs.2 and 4, that all of said extensions 2!, 22, and 23 project into planesbelow the central or body portion of the plate I9.

The plate I9 is provided along the instep por tion thereof, andcentrally of the body 20, with a longitudinal slot 24 through which anadjustment screw 25 freely extends. The upper portion of adjustmentscrew 25 is revolubly connected by suitable means with the body 20 ofthe interme- The means illustrated in Fig. 4 comprise the screw head 26and an annular shoulder 210 on the shank of the screw at a point belowthe head. Between the head 26 and the shoulder 216 the portions of thebody ZIIadjacent the slot 24 are loosely engaged.

The lower portions of the screw 25 are adapted to be threadedly receivedin the perforation I8 of the bottom plate Hi. It will further beseenthat the head 26 of the screw may be positioned in or upon the centralaperture I2 of the cover I II.

The pronged extensions 2i] and 22, comprise longitudinal slots 2'! whichare adapted'to register with the perforationsIG and I! of the bottomplate and with the apertures I3 of the cover III. A screw 28 (Fig. 1)projects freely through the aperture I3, the slots 21 of the prongedextensions, and is threadedly receivable in perforations I5 and I! ofthe bottom plate. 7

The use and adjustment ofthe arch support unit just described is asfollows: The device is positioned in the shoe and the wearer determinesfor himself whether the height of the unit is suitable for his purposes.If it'is to be lowered, the screw 25 is advanced into the perforation I8so that the intermediate plate is depressed. If greater height is neededin the unit; said screw is retracted and the plate thereby raised. Itwill be understood that prior to these adjustments, the screws 28 whichnormally retain the extremities of the pronged extensions 2I and 22 incontact with the inner sole 'of a shoe, are loosened so as to permit aslidable relation of the pronged extensions with the bottom plate I4.The individual need as to height of the arch unit having thus beenattended to, the exact positioning of the unit of the intermediate plateIt may be effected. This is likewise'a'ccomplished by loosening of thescrews 25 and 28, the loosening of the former permitting the plate I9 tobe shifted forwardly or backwardly of the shoe, by virtue of the slot24.

It may be-remarked that in the event that a very considerable forwardand rearward adjustment of the plate is required, the'screws-28 may beremoved from the initial perforations I 6 and I! into which they wereinserted and threadedly entered into other of said perforations. It'willbe understood, however, that normally, the latitude of movement madepossible by the slots l2 and 21, provide for a Wide range ,of adjustmentwithout the need of changing the screws 28 to other of the adjacentthreaded perforations.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a modified form of intermediate member is illustrated.Thisconsists of a resilient pad 29 having its greatest height orthickness on the instep side 39 and tapered toward the oppositesidethereof as indicated at 3|. The resilient pad is providedwith front andrear slotted extensions BI and 32 which are adapted 'to cooperate withsuitable adjustment screws similar to the screws 28 heretofore describedin connection'with Fig. 1. This pad may be shifted to the front and rearof the shoe but obviously is not intended'for use in instances wheredepression and elevation of the arch support are required.

In Fig. 7 a'modified form of unit comprises a a plate 33 identical withthe plate I9'heretofore described but having under its prongedextensions 34 and 35 small screw plates 36 instead of the large bottomplate-Moi the first form of the invention described. Furthermore, thecentral adjustment screw 31 is entered into a central screw plate 38,all of said plates being suitably se- 1 of the invention seen in Fig. 7is adapted to be permanently positioned in a shoe whereas the formillustrated in Fig. 2 is a removable unit.

Due tothe minimum of parts in the device of Fig. 7, the latter mayreadily and efficiently be installed in both a new and an old shoe.

Fig. 8 illustrates a suitable cover or insole that may be used in theshoe with which the unit of Fig. '7 is associated. When the adjustmentscrews of the arch support unit are to be regulated, the insole II maybe lifted'for giving access thereto.

In both the units of Figs. 1 and '7; the intermediate plates I9 and 33have a-three point contact only with the inner sole upon which they arepositioned. This makes for highly efficient resiliency in the archsupport and likewise for a minimum of abrasion and wear .on the innersole. It will be seen, especially in Fig. 4, that the lateral extensionof said intermediate plates, having no positive connection with eitherthe upper cover, the bottom plate'or the inner sole of thezshoe, is freeto shift to the extent necessitated by any adjustment of the instepportions ofthe unit. It will be further seen that the projection of saidlateral extension intermediate the pronged extensions of the archsupport plate results in gradual tapering of the height of the archsupport unit from the instep portion thereof toward the opposite side ofthe shoe. The minimum of parts required of the present invention is inmarked contrast with the similar elaborate structures heretoforeprovided for similar purposes. Furthermore, the reduction in weight aswell as in material, of the unit illustrated in Fig. '7, makes forgreater comfort as well as greater economy in use and in manufacture.

What is claimed is: V

1. An adjustable arch support comprising a bottom plate, a flexible topplate or cover, means connecting said two plates and providing for a'pocket like recess therebetween and accessible from one side thereof, aresilient arch-supporting member adapted to be inserted in said recessand provided with a forward and rearward pronged extension, said upperplate being formed with a pair of elongated slots and said bottom platebeing provided with two pairs of threaded perforations, said slots andperforations being adapted to register with the pronged extension of thepositioned arch-supporting member, and a screw adapted to be inserted ineach of said elongated slots and to be passed downwardly between theprongs of the adjacent extension into a selected 7 one of the threadedperforations of the bottom plate, said screws being adapted to limitforward and backward movement of the positioned archsupporting memberand being adapted to be removed and inserted in other of saidperforations to provide for selective adjustability of thearchsupporting member.

2. The combination with a shoe, of an arch support unit adapted to bepositioned on the inner sole of the shoe at the instep and comprising anindependent convex resilient plate provided with a slot extendinglongitudinally of the plate, an

adjustment screw projecting freely through the slot and having its upperportion revolubly connected with the plate, the head of the screw beingaccessible from the interior of the shoe, and means on the inner solefor threadedly receiving the lower portions of the screw to provideforadvancement and retraction of the screw and consequent depression andelevation of the plate, the screw further providing in the retractedposition for forward and rearward shifting and adjust-' ment of theplate as a whole by virtue of said slot.

3. The combination'witha shoe, of an arch support unit adapted to bepositioned on the, inner sole of the shoe at the instep and comprising aconvex resilient plate provided adjacent the central portion thereofwith a slot extending of the screw being accessible from the interior ofthe shoe, and means on theinner sole for threadedly receiving the'lowerportions of the screw to provide for advancement and retraction thereofand consequent depression and elevation of the intermediate portions ofthe plate, the screw further providing in the retracted position forforward and rearward shifting and adjustment of the plate as a whole byvirtue of said which the arch-supporting element is associated and to beadvanced and retracted relative thereto for effecting depression andelevation of said element, said adjustment member further providing inthe retracted position for forward and rearward shifting and adjustmentof the archsupporting element as a whole by virtue of said slot.

5. An adjustable arch support comprising a flexible cover, a bottomplate beneath the cover and provided with perforations, an archsupporting element adapted to be positioned between said plate andcover, and means for releasably attaching the arch-supporting elementtothe bottom plate, said attaching means comprisingdownwardly-projecting members associated with the arch-supportingelement and insertable into selected perforations of the bottom plate,the insertable members being adapted to be withdrawn, and reinsertedmother of said perforations for selectively adjusting the position ofthe arch-supporting element as a whole.

6. An arch supporting unit adapted to be positioned on the insole of ashoe and comprising a plate of resilient material provided with a frontand rear slotted extension, and means for attaching said extension to ashoe insole'and comprising screws or the like insertable through theslotted extensions and means attachable to'the shoe insole beneath theextensions and providing under each a screw-receiving perforation, theplate being adjustable as a whole forwardly and rearwardly by looseningof the screws and shifting of the plate within the limits of the slottedextensions.

7. Arch supporting means comprising a plate provided with perforations,an independent archsupporting element for positioning on said plate, andmeans for releasably attaching the arch-supporting element to the plate,said attaching means comprising a downwardly projecting memberassociated with the arch-supporting element and insertable into aselected perforation of the plate for positioning the arch-supportingelement, said insertable member being adapted to be withdrawn andreinserted in other of said plate perforations for'selectively adjustingthe position of the arch-supporting element as a whole.

7 FRANCIS B. NEHUS.

